William Leingang

William “Bill” Leingang, 83, Bismarck, died September 1, 2010, at St. Alexius Medical Center, Bismarck. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am Monday, September 6, 2010, at Church of Corpus Christi, Bismarck, with Rev. Paul Becker officiating. Burial will be held at 9:00 am Tuesday, September 7, 2010, at the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery, Mandan. Visitation will be from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm Sunday at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a vigil/rosary will begin at 7:00 pm. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. William Michael Bill Leingang was born Feb.16, 1927, on a farm in Sioux County near Solen, ND to Ralph and Christine Beckler Leingang. When the drought and dry years came they moved to Linton ND. In 1940 his father passed away and the family moved to Mandan where Bill attended St. Joseph’s grade and Mandan High Schools. In his sophomore year, he enlisted in the US Army Air Force on June 18, 1945, to serve in WWII until Dec. 17, 1946, when he returned to complete high school, graduating in 1949. His lifelong love of photography and cinematography began in high school as school photographer and he also worked for Mohr Photo Studio and the Mandan and Palace Theatres. In the following years, Bill worked with the Army Corps of Engineers, the ND Highway Dept., Northwest Mapping and the Northern Pacific Railroad until Sept. of 1952. Bill married Donna Boehm at St. Joseph’s Church in Mandan on Sept. 20th, 1952. On their honeymoon they moved to the West Coast and both worked for the International Harvester Co. After about 7 months they decided to return to the North Dakota they loved and missed and Bill returned to Northwest Mapping. When KFYR TV came on the air in 1953 he again was able to use his film and photo experience producing movies, commercials, and news pictures and film for the station for over 20 years. He filmed and photographed Presidents from Kennedy to Reagan. During the late 60’s and into the late 70’s Bill and Donna co-owned and operated Bill’s Magnavox Home Entertainment Center with Bob Wiest and they later added Guitarland music store with Sam Wangler and Bob Wiest his business partners. In the 1980’s he and Donna co-managed the Wheel-a-While Roller Skating Rink for 13 years. When the rink closed he again called upon his photo experience and became the microfilm curator for the North Dakota State Heritage Society, where, among other recordings and restorations he converted and recorded the same films he had produced with KFYR years earlier. Due to illness, Bill retired in 2002, and was memory impaired for all of his retirement years. Bill was a great, blessed, honest and sweet spirited husband and father to 7 children, grandfather to 22 and Great-Grandfather to 7 with another new one due any day now. He had a deep and vibrant faith and friendship with God and his Catholic Faith. Family and Faith were most important. Bill loved photography, his blue “Beemer” BMW motorcycle, and roller skating. He often skated as far as 6 miles a day until his memory loss sidelined him. He had a lifetime love of books and reading and amassed a huge collection of music and a love for which he imparted to his children. He was a maestro on the harmonica. Bill was a skilled artist and drew fabulously funny pictures of and for his grandchildren. A favorite art tradition was his annual Christmas mural on the living room picture window. While he never attended college, he was self-taught in subjects as diverse as theology, physics, geometry, electronics and optics. He loved to read about politics and political economy. Now that Bill is back to skating on Glory’s side, he waits in Heaven for the love of his life, Donna. He also leaves behind his children: Bill Jr. Jackie, Colorado Springs, CO, Joe Deb, Bismarck, Gordy Jackie, Mandan, Maureen Duane Knoll, Bismarck, Kelly Quercia and her fiancé Brad, Boise, ID, John Jennifer, Castle Rock, CO, and Rosanne Kevin Epperson, Apple Valley, MN. His grandchildren are Will Rose, & Angela Leingang, Elizabeth Jason Vick, Christine, Hannah, and John-Del Leingang; Michael Tricia and Joey Paul Nikki Leingang, Katie Lyn Leingang Landel Sutton; Brandon, Jesse and Tara Silbernagel; Emily Knoll Jim Jefferson, Travis Foster fiancé Kellie , Mark Knoll, Christopher Beaudoin fiancé Cailin, Phillip Turner Jr., Sam and Ben Leingang, and John, Carter and Elijah Epperson. Bill also leaves his precious great grandchildren Ani and Yosef Vick, Isaac and soon-to-be born Leingang, Jalyn Jefferson; and Madison, Paiton, and Bentley Foster. Bill also leaves his sister Lillian Gilbert, sister-in-law Ruth Leingang, sister-in-law Margaret Volk, Aunt Bonita Beckler Art Hammeral; and nieces and nephews. Bill is preceded in death by his parents Ralph Leingang and Christine Beckler – Leingang Williamson and stepfather Gordon Williamson; big brother Luke and sister Viola. Bill is now safe and sound in the company of the angels he loved and his beloved Lord and Savior, Jesus.

William Leingang

February 16, 1927 - September 1, 2010